The 4-3-4-3 Custody Schedule

In short

Parent A has Monday through Thursday and Parent B has Friday through Sunday, every week. That is 8 of 14 days with Parent A and 6 of 14 with Parent B, about 57/43, with 2 exchanges a week.

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Parent A

Parent B

Week 1 (top) · Week 2 (bottom)

How it works

Parent A has the children Monday-Thursday (4 days). Parent B has Friday-Sunday (3 days). The pattern repeats every week. Over time the split is ~57/43 in Parent A's favor.

A two-week example

A = Parent A, B = Parent B. The pattern then repeats.
	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
Week 1	A	A	A	A	B	B	B
Week 2	A	A	A	A	B	B	B

Week 1 and week 2 are identical, so the schedule is the same every week. The 4-3-4-3 name just counts the blocks across two weeks.

By the numbers

Cycle: 1 week, the same every week.
Time with each parent: Parent A 8 of 14 days, Parent B 6 of 14 days (57/43).
Exchanges: 2 per week.
Longest stretch: Parent A 4 days in a row, Parent B 3 days in a row.

What makes it work

A clear weekday parent. It suits families where one parent can handle every school morning and evening from Monday to Thursday.
Friday as a bridge. Parent B picks up from school on Friday, so they still see one school day and its homework each week.
Occasional weekend swaps. Trading a weekend now and then lets Parent A have some free time with the children too.

Pros and cons

Pros

Extremely predictable: same days every week
Useful when one parent is the weekday caregiver and the other handles weekends
Only 2 transitions per week

Cons

Not 50/50: skews toward the weekday parent
Parent B has Friday through Sunday, so only one school day a week

Best for

Families where one parent's weekday schedule makes them the natural weekday caregiver.

By age

General guidance only. Every child is different, and what fits can change as they grow.

Under 3: Four days apart from Parent B is a long stretch at this age. Child-development guidance generally favors short, frequent time with each parent at this age, so a midweek visit can help.
3 to 5: Usually workable. A short call midweek with Parent B keeps the connection steady.
6 to 12: A good fit when the weekday parent lives near school and the weekend parent can do Friday pickups.
Teens: Teens may want some weekends free for friends and jobs. Build in flexibility.

Exchanges, holidays, and summer

Exchange times: Two a week: Friday after school to Parent B, and Monday at school back to Parent A.
Holidays: Most plans lay a holiday schedule over the regular rotation, with major holidays alternating by year. The holiday plan wins when they conflict, and the regular schedule picks back up after.
Summer: Many families even things out in summer, for example by giving Parent B a longer block or switching to week on, week off.

Common variations

Every weekend: Parent B starts on Saturday instead of Friday, for about a 70/30 split.
60/40 split: Gives Parent B a weekday block in alternating weeks for a split usually called 60/40.
3-4-4-3: Swaps the 3-day and 4-day blocks each week to reach an even 50/50.

Common pitfalls

Parent B never has a school week. Beyond Fridays, Parent B misses most school days. Share teacher updates and invite them to events.
Parent A never has a free weekend. Without trades, every weekend goes to Parent B. Agree on a few swaps a year.
The name can mislead. Some people use 4-3-4-3 for a rotating schedule. Write the actual days into your plan.

Frequently asked questions

Is 4-3-4-3 a 50/50 schedule?

No. As shown here, Parent A has 8 of 14 days and Parent B has 6 of 14, about 57/43.

How many exchanges are there?

Two per week, four every two weeks.

What's the longest time away from a parent?

Parent B goes 4 days (Monday through Thursday) without the children, and Parent A goes 3 days.

How is it different from 3-4-4-3?

3-4-4-3 alternates which parent has the longer block each week, which makes it 50/50. 4-3-4-3, as shown here, keeps Parent A on the 4-day block every week.

Put it on your calendar

In CoreParent, pick the 4-3 Schedule in your parenting plan, choose who has the weekdays, and your calendar fills in who has the kids for the next 90 days. Share it with your co-parent, or keep it to yourself.